Suspect surrenders, admits to killing Charice's father

The suspect in the stabbing death of the father of singer Charice Pempengco of the hit TV show Glee surrendered Thursday and admitted responsibility for the crime. Angel Capili Jr. turned himself in to the chief of his village in General Trias township south of Manila, said Gilbert Cruz, police chief of nearby Laguna province.

Police said Charice’s estranged 40-year-old father, construction worker Ricky Pempengco, was stabbed with an ice pick by a drunken man Monday after buying cigarettes at a store. Cruz said Capili is also a construction worker but did not know Pempengco.

Teen songstress Charice canceled upcoming concerts and called for justice for her father. She plays a recurring role on Glee as exchange student Sunshine Corazon.
Capili told reporters in Manila he was conscience-stricken and ready to face the consequences. “I had really planned to surrender because what I did was wrong,” he told reporters. “I am seeking forgiveness from the family left behind by Mr. Pempengco. … I am prepared to suffer whatever is the judgment.”

However, he did not respond when reporters asked why he stabbed the victim. Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, who spoke with Capili, said the suspect said he was assaulted by Pempengco. “He was claiming that he was already backing away but then (the victim) continued to attack him so he got a screwdriver and he stabbed Mr. Pempengco,” Robredo told ABS-CBN television. “We will compare the account of witnesses with the account of the suspect.”

Charice told a news conference Thursday that she could not forgive Capili because he didn’t appear to be truly sorry for what happened. “He should not defend himself. He cannot bring back my dad,” she said.

Charice flew back to the Philippines and paid respects to her father early Wednesday. She also apologized for canceling the rest of her tour dates, saying “my family comes first.” She had been scheduled to perform in Singapore. “Whoever did this must be brought to justice. Justice must be served, not just for my father but for everyone concerned,” she told a radio interview.

Charice said she still loved her father, even though he left when she was 3 years old. “He’s still my dad after all,” she wrote on Twitter.